Maori Party earns rebuke from Tuhoe

Tuhoe's Tamati Kruger has accused the Maori Party of suffering from 'Jesus Christ syndrome.' Photo / Greg Bowker

Tuhoe is accusing the Maori Party of having a "Jesus" complex and undermining delicate Treaty negotiations with the Crown.

Iwi authority Te Kotahi a Tuhoe has rejected the Government's first offer to settle historical grievances, and is undergoing intense negotiations to thrash out a deal by early October.

The initial offer is understood to include $120 million and aspects of self-government, however, the offer did not include full ownership of Te Urewera National Park - a key motivator for Tuhoe.

Lead negotiator Tamati Kruger is unhappy that Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell has been meeting and supporting a non-mandated splinter grouping known as Te Umutaoroa which is protesting against the settlement process.

Mr Kruger said "internal" Tuhoe issues had nothing to do with the Maori Party and it was distracting to negotiators to have a third party "interfering".

"The Maori Party suffer from the Jesus Christ syndrome - they want to save the downtrodden.

"But they're giving credibility to a group that doesn't deserve it.

"We can understand that to some degree.

"The party was born out of protest but it's in government now, it has to step up to the plate."

Mr Kruger said he had met Mr Flavell but had received no firm commitment the party supported the tribe's settlement process.

That was worrying because the iwi authority had assumed it could count on the party to help lobby politicians on a deal which could be difficult to push through to legislation because of the ownership claims.

"We thought that [support] would be a given. Obviously, it's not the case."

Mr Flavell said there was "no question" the Maori Party supported Te Kotahi a Tuhoe's process, however, there were serious flaws in the current settlement approach which needed to be rectified.

"The Maori Party's stand is to support our people in moving towards settlement.

"But the problem is the current settlement process means that it's a recipe for division and what we have to do as a political party is respond to our people if they call it to our attention."

The party was trying to bring about Tuhoe unity so that those who felt left out of the process - Te Umutaoroa - could participate, Mr Flavell said.

That was an "honourable goal", but difficult to bring about.

"There's no winners in it because no matter what side you go to, you're the devil because you can't deliver what everyone wants."

It's not the first time the Maori Party has ruffled tribal feathers.

It was critical when Ngati Porou signed their foreshore and seabed deal last year.